


The Future We Hoped For, The Future I'd Die For

by JRH_TheLighthouseKeeper_97



Series: The Story of the Esempi [1]
Category: Dream SMP - Fandom, Minecraft (Video Game)
Genre: Any relationships here, But do ask if you need something explained, Check out my other SMP work, Context, F/F, F/M, FUCK, Gen, I am but a young writer at the mercy of my Muse, I don't know how much to put for relationships n characters, LOTS OF PEOPLE, LOTS OF VARYING FEELINGS, M/M, Multi, Other, This is the main lore of my SMP AU, cuz idk, i mean no offense to any of them, id be happy to write four paragraghs of lore for you, it's short but it'll help with contex, just so much, listen, lol, or even the Canon SMP stuff, please dont yell at me, please understand, shit is gonna happen, these are characters based off of those characters, this is gonna be long, this is not about the IRL people
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-04
Updated: 2021-02-25
Packaged: 2021-03-15 19:00:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 7,656
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29194197
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JRH_TheLighthouseKeeper_97/pseuds/JRH_TheLighthouseKeeper_97
Summary: Wilbur Soot has lived an uneventful life so far in a small village with his mother. But when the stories she'd told him growing up, stories that he'd never really believed were true, come barreling down their door, Wilbur finds himself thrust into the dangerous world of the Esempi, ruled over cruelly by a tyrannical and greedy Royal Family, setting him down a path that will lead to, what he hopes, is a better future for him and those he comes to love.(An AU based off the people and events of the Dream SMP in a more realistic-ish/fantasy heavy way that fleshes out the world so it's not just 10 people all doing stuff.)
Relationships: Clay | Dream & GeorgeNotFound & Darryl Noveschosch & Sapnap, Clay | Dream/GeorgeNotFound, Eret & Floris | Fundy & Toby Smith | Tubbo & Wilbur Soot & TommyInnit, Eret & Wilbur Soot, Floris | Fundy & Wilbur Soot, Philza Minecraft/Original Character, Technoblade & Philza, Wilbur Soot/Original Character(s), tubbo & tommy
Series: The Story of the Esempi [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2143392
Kudos: 12





	1. Memories of Spring

Spring.

Spring always made Wilbur think about his mother, of a little village tucked away in a valley, surrounded by sky high spruce trees and snowy peaked mountains on all sides, save the one that gave way to the sea.

He could remember them sitting in the grass outside their little cabin, surrounded by wildflowers, his mother drilling him on his survival knowledge, all the while going through an ancient leather bound journal, filled with carefully done paintings of what was safe to eat in the wilds, their seasons and medicinal uses.

He loved to trace the leaves and petals with his fingertips, along the words as he read them, either quietly or softly under his breath, until he knew them all by heart.

"And what's this?" His mother would ask, pointing to something.

"A dandelion." Wilbur would answer with whatever she gestured too.

"What is it used for?"

"Come oooooon, Momma. I know all this!" 

The young boy would complain and pout, wanting to go and play with the other village children as opposed to going over what he already knew. 

"This is important, Wilbur." She'd say about whatever they were going over that day, dark brown eyes serious. "This knowledge is what kept us alive after those royal bastards ran us out of our home."

" _I_ _know_ , Momma."

He knew that story too.

Momma had been a Princess and his Daddy had been a Bird Prince. They met at Momma's big sister's wedding. Daddy told her he thought she was beautiful. Momma threatened to beat him up cuz she was embarrassed. No one beside her own Momma had ever called her pretty before.

They fell in love, got married and had him! But when he was a little baby still, the bad man with the mask came and attacked them at the big party they were having to celebrate his birth. Grandpa, Grandma and his Uncles, Aunts and cousins died but Momma got away, sailing the seas far far away to somewhere safe, forced to leave even Daddy behind.

"If Daddy was a bird man, why don't I have wings?" He'd ask, trying desperately to look at his back, as if he'd just simply never noticed a pair of budding wings there in his few years alive.

It always made Momma laugh when he did that. Maybe that was why he asked more then once, since few other things did.

"It's because you take after me, dear."

"But I don't have horns or ears like you either!" 

He'd say, reaching for her head of thick dark brown curls, at the small pair of maroon horns and black Ramul ears that sat amongst them. Wilbur thought they were so pretty, but only got to see them at home.

As a precaution, always afraid of being found, Cecilia Soot wore a bandana when outside their four walls.

"You'll get them one day...Depending on how you grow up, my dear." She'd scoop him up in her arms as she spoke, waltzing around their cabin, making him giggle. "But no matter who you grow up to be, I want you to remember to be good to the ones around you."

"Even the mean people?" He'd ask, thinking of the kids in the village that picked on him for his 'weird' clothes.

" _Especially_ the mean people." 

Cecilia would hold her only son close, playing with his soft, fluffy hair...even as part of her wished he'd taken even a little bit after her lost love, her sweet Funderis, rather then being her little mini-me. 

"I wish for you to be kind, my dear, despite any hardships you face. You came from a proud but good people." Her eyes would get sad the more she talked about them. "We never wanted war with the rulers of this land...No matter what bile they spew otherwise."

"Why did they do it then?" He'd ask quietly. "Just cuz the mean man in the mask said so?"

Cecilia would try and explain it for her toddler son in simple terms he could understand, at first, but eventually found it best to be straightforward with him.

"Greed is a strong motivator...and the rulers of the Esempi have learned they can take whatever they please as long as they hurt the right people and lie to those who don't know any better."

She'd usually change the subject then, distract him with fun stories, songs or sweets, even when Wilbur was old enough to properly understand what they talked about. 

Later on...he'd always wished they'd talked more. 

~X~


	2. Winter's Grip

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An average day for local ten year old, Wilbur Soot

Winter was in the processes of loosing it's grip on the world that day, snow slowly melting under the warm sun, flora and fauna alike coming back to life little by little.

The day had started normal; shearing the sheep, milking the cows, gathering eggs from the chicken coop, checking the fish traps in the little river nearby. 

Now that his chores were done, Wilbur Soot was free to enjoy the rest of his day, a prospect that had him barely able to sit still as he ate his lunch, chunks of freshly made bread and rich rabbit stew, which he chomped and slurped through in excitement.

"Don't rush, dear, you'll choke." His mother, Cecilia Soot, sat in the adjoining seat, smiling faintly at her boy. "What's the hurry, anyway?"

"I'm supposed to go meet Emi and Hopp soon to go picking for sweet berries for Emi's Da. He's gonna pay me in exchange for me helping!"

"Well, that's very kind of Mr. Ashini. Be sure to be home-"

"I know, Mum, by sundown." 

Food done, Wilbur is on his feet, circling the table and kissing Cecilia on the cheek before rushing for the door while putting his coat, hat and scarf on over a homemade yellow sweater. 

"Bye Mum!"

"Take care, dear!"

Wilbur hurried out into the day, boots crunching as he ran along a worn path through the snow toward the village of Silverbay, the only place he'd ever known, under a cloudless bright blue sky.

He heads to the house nearest the woods, hearing loud chattering long before he sees the source of it, one sitting on a fallen log beside a currently fireless stack of wood and stone, holding small baskets on rope, while the other sat on the ground, making a snow ghast.

"I'm here!"

"There you are, Wil!" Emily Ashini hops to her feet at the sight of him, turquoise hair swishing, yellow eyes excited. "You were almost late!

"Took you long enough, lazy bones!" Hopper Gordan giggled, shaking the snow from their hands, large bunny ears flicking amongst their fluffy grey-white hair. "The berries will fall off and get eaten by birds and foxes if we don't hurry!"

Carefree laughter dances through the air as Emi distributes the baskets and they hurry off into the woods, Wilbur taking the lead while his friends trailed faithfully behind.

Wilbur had a great natural sense for foraging, partially because of his training with his mother and partially because he had a really good nose for it. 

Even before making it to the berry grove, he found a handful of mushrooms growing in a hollowed out tree and a bunch of acorns hidden amongst the roots of a big tree, which he knew they could grind up for flour when normal wheat flour was scarce or chop up for acorn honey cakes.

*Mum will be so excited!*

The air became sweet with the smell of the berries just as they reached the incline that lead down to the grove.

Hopp, true to their name, makes their way easily down the incline, jumping from stone to stone before landing in a previously untouched pile of snow with a loud laugh.

Wilbur, quite adept at maneuvering rocky areas, quickly followed after Hopp, landing beside them in the snow with a laugh of his own, while poor Emi has to carefully make her way down without slipping.

"Guys, wait for me!"

"Come on, Turtle!" 

Hopp shouted from where they sat in the snowbank still, perfectly comfortable despite the cold, while Wilbur stood, shaking the snow from his hair before heading for the nearby dark green bushes, where plump red berries peeked from beneath the sharp leaves and thorns.

He gets to picking immediately, eventually joined by Hopp and Emi, who he makes sure to teach the proper way to pick the berries without getting hurt. They chat as they pick berries, dreading the return to school coming up soon while looking forward to the ever welcome warmth and beauty of spring.

"Oh, Wil, did you hear about the big party the grown-ups are having tonight?"

"A party?"

"Yeah! That's what Da needs the berries for. He's gonna make a special juice for all the grown-ups."

"That's cool. It's not often that the grown-ups just hang out."

"Is your Mom going?"

Wilbur shrugs, as his mother was notoriously reclusive even after being in Silverbay for the better part of ten years, and the topic moves along, though the young brunette makes note to ask her when he got home.

Time passes and with it, all the baskets are filled and the sun has moved across the sky, inching closer and closer toward the horizon as the kids make their way back into the village.

Mr. Ashini waits for them at the back door to their home, a thin man with a narrow face, fins, scales and short hair all the same turquoise as Emi's, friendly eyes a deep shade of purple.

"My my, what a haul! I'll be able to make tons of the good stuff for the party tonight~" He grins and gives them a thumbs up. "Good job, kids! And thanks again for sharing your secret berry place with us, Wilbur. It means alot."

Wilbur beams happily.

"I was happy to help, Mr. Ashini."

"Ah, and speaking of your help," He pulls a small pouch from his side, opening it and pulling out emeralds, dropping them into Wilbur's hands. "Here you go, kid~ Twenty emeralds for the lot."

His warm brown eyes shine with excitement at the sight of each little gem, the way the green stood out against the dark brown of his gloves, each small and shaped into what his mother had told him were called 'sunflower cuts'.

_Such a pretty name, even if they don't really look like sunflowers._

"Whooooooa. What're you gonna use them for Wil?" Hopp asked, looking over his shoulder.

"I've been saving up for ages now for something super cool!" Wilbur puts the emeralds away into his pocket for now, thinking of the little stash he had at home in a old cookie tin beneath his bed. "I just need another hundred or so and I'll be able to afford it~"

"It's over a hundred emeralds?!" Emi gaped. "What is it?? A horse?"

"A cool custom sword?"

"It's a musical instrument called a guitar?" Wilbur looks away shyly at their confused faces. "Mum's talked about it, because my Da played and taught her, so I've been saving up for one for both of us~"

"That's a very sweet idea, Wilbur... I'm sure your dear Mum will love it." Mr. Ashini said, smiling gently before looking at the sky. "Speaking of, you should be getting home to her about now. Don't wanna be late for supper."

"Okay." He waves as he's already turning for the path that lead home. "Bye Em, bye Hopp! See you guys tomorrow at the hill for sledding?"

"For sure!"

"Don't be late this time, lazy bones!"

Wilbur races the sun on his way home, along stone and snow and wooden bridges, arriving to their little cabin, tucked away amongst boulders and dense trees.

The inside is wonderfully warm as he walks in, smelling of freshly made blackseed rolls and what was unmistakably fire roasted chicken.

"Mum! I'm home!"

"Ah there you are~" 

She's sat in her favorite chair by the fireplace, working on an extra warm wool lined cloak for her boy, big enough to last him a few good years even with growth spurts. 

"Dinner is nearly done, just waiting on the chicken." She sets her work aside and pats her lap. "Come warm up."

Leaving his boots, cloak and scarf by the door, he walks over and climbs into her arms, settling against her warm softness as best he can.

She _oofs_ but holds him close all the same.

"You okay, Mum?"

"You're getting too big, mister~" She says it more teasingly then anything. "Before long, I won't be able to hold you like this."

"Sorry." He looks embarrassed. "I'm all leg these days..."

"Well, hopefully the Goddess will gift you some muscle as well." She poked him in the belly, making him giggle. "It'll be no good if you're all lank and no mass."

"You always said Da was scrawny like me."

"Yes but he could also fly, so it worked out for him to be nothing but bone. He was made for speed as an Astre. But you're more Ramul like me, so it's better to be bigger." She strikes a playful pose, the taunt muscles of her arms becoming all the more noticeable beneath her long sleeve blouse. "How else do you think I take down trees for our firewood?"

Wilbur laughs and Cecilia's eyes soften as she knocks her head against his.

"I tease, my darling. You're perfect just how you are~"

"Thanks Mum." He rests his head on her shoulder, tired from the day. "Do we have time for a story?"

"Not right now~" She pats him on the leg. "The chicken should be done by now, let's go eat."

Wilbur yawns but doesn't protest.

Dinner is wonderful and filling, hot juicy chicken, wild rice with dried sweet berries and the blackseed rolls, and by the time night has fallen, he's all the more ready for bed.

He's settling in with his favorite plush toy, a fish he'd named Milo, under the thick layers of comforters when his Mum comes in, much to his surprise, dressed to go out as opposed to going to bed.

Wearing her special cream blouse with the blue flower embroidery and a dark blue wool cloak, her hair is braided, horns and ears covered with her special occasions bandanna, a pretty pale yellow.

"Whoa...Mum, you look so pretty!"

"Thank you, dear." She sat on the bed, petting his head. "Mum is...going out for a little while."

"You are?"

"Well..." She smiles shyly. "I was invited to a small get together in the village by Mr. Donahue."

Wilbur knew Mr. Donahue. He was the katka man they shared their fish with since he lived just down river. He was a woodworker, making all kinds of things to sell to Silverbay and other nearby villages, even instruments. He was quiet but nice and had brought Cecilia flowers a few times last fall.

Wilbur hoped Mr. Donahue knew how to make a guitar, otherwise he'd probably have to save up more money to order one from a city. 

"So I'm gonna be by myself all night?"

Despite himself, Wilbur feels a prickle of worry at that.

"No, no. I should be home by moonhigh, if not earlier." She smiles reassuringly. "So, just get some sleep and I'll see you in the morning."

"Okay. Have fun, Mum."

"Sleep well, dear."

She kissed his head and tucked him in, humming softly as he curled up underneath the covers, falling fast asleep with his face pressed into Milo's plush body within moments.

Cecilia lingers for a moment, eyes filled with love for her son, before she stands, turns down the lanterns and heads out into the chilling, overcast night, her path lit by the short glimpses of the full moon amongst the clouds...

~X~


	3. The Storm of Change

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The lives of those in Silverbay change forever

Wilbur is jolted awake with the crashing of the downstairs front door and his mother's voice calling for him.

"Wil-Wilbur!! Wilbur, wake up!"

"Mum?!" He stumbles as he hurriedly gets out of bed, getting to the banister of the second floor as he catches the sickening scent of blood. "Mum, what-?!"

"Wilbur, I need you to get dressed right now then get down here with your satchel!" 

Her back is to him as she hurriedly locked the door and began to barricade it with a table and chairs and he can see her cloak and bandana are gone, blouse torn and stained crimson in some areas, black markings he knew to be her tattoos, given to her when she turned eighteen as part of a family tradition, peeking through.

"M-Mum, what's going on-?"

"Get dressed!!" 

She snaps over her shoulder, eyes narrow with anger, and he flinches but does as he's told, heading back and getting into his warmest clothes, including his new cloak, grabbing his backpack, now holding a few shirts and a small blanket, money box and Milo before heading down.

"Mum, please tell me what happened-"

"We don't have time, Wilbur." She grabs his pack from him, immediately beginning to put food inside it; bread rolls wrapped in cloth, dried meats and fruits, nuts, glass bottles of water and honey, doing the same with her own pack. "Right now, all that matters is we need to get out of here-"

There's a sudden pounding on the door and a strange woman's voice came from the other side.

"By Order of His Majesty, King Rehdston, open this door and surrender yourself to us, Cevia!"

She feels strange being called by that name again, after so long as Cecilia, but doesn't bother replying, grabbing the axe that had long sat above the fireplace, the blade purple-black and engraved with strange markings she had been told spelt 'Harvester', before pulling Wilbur along to a small room by the kitchen, where she moves a carpet and reveals a trap door in the floor. 

She pulls it open and turns to her boy, who was still in shock, standing there with her pack in one hand and Milo clutched tightly to his chest, brown eyes wide and terrified.

"Get in."

"Mum-"

"Wilbur, we don't-" There's a dull crack of wood as something hit their thankfully thick oak front door. "Get in!"

He clambers down the ladder as best he can, catching her pack of things after he hits the far down dirt floor, a small space leading into an even smaller tunnel barely big enough for the two of them, before looking up at her face, seeing forming bruises and a line of drying blood falling from her nose, partially smeared.

"Momma, come on!" He's trembling, confused, and so, so scared. "We gotta go, they're gonna get in-!"

"Wilbur, listen." He can hear more solid hits to their door, but she doesn't take her eyes off of him. "Follow this tunnel. Take two rights, a left, and two more rights. Just like the spinning game we'd play when you were little, remember?"

"Momma-"

"You'll come out of a cave outside Silverbay and when you do, I want you to follow the moon for three days until you get to Logsteadsheer, the village with the candy store we visited for your birthday last year. Find Mrs. Ambros, she'll look after you."

"Momma, what are you saying!?" 

She smiles gently, eyes loosing their edge as they filled with tears.

"...I love you, Wilbur. Be good, my darling."

"Momma-? MOMMA!" 

His voice spiked with terror as she yanked the ladder up and away from him, shutting the trap door and plunging him into the dark. 

He clawed desperately at the wall, but the stone is smoothed and there's no way to get back up to where his mother was, alone, with untold enemies barreling down their door.

"MOMMA!? MOMMA, NO, DON'T LEAVE ME DOWN HERE!!"

Cecilia chokes back cries as she covers the trap door again, murmuring apologies under her breath before standing with her axe, part of her wishing she could've given it, the last true heirloom of their family, to her son but knowing it'd make him stand out all the more. Without it, he was just another unfortunate, orphaned child, tragic but common.

Plus...she needed it.

With her head held high and an axe in hand, Cecilia Soot, once known as Princess Cevia Redheart Flel-Ro Dana of the Blackstone Royal Family, went to meet her would-be captors, praying her son would run and live his life well...

Wilbur is sobbing, a folded up ball in the dark, cries muffled by Milo's squishy body.

"No, no no nononono..." 

He murmurs to himself, part of him hoping this would all just be a nightmare when he jolts, hearing the door upstairs break with a thunderous **CRACK**.

The very real idea of having to sit there and listen to his mother be....hurt, hit him like a hammer and he began to crawl forward on his hands and knees, Milo tucked into his jacket, dragging the second bag of supplies along with him.

"T-Two rights...left,...right right..." 

His trembling voice is unnatural loud in the dark, even at a whisper, and as his eyes adjust, he finds it's not entirely pitch black down here. Embedded in the wall is the faintest red-orange glow.

Wilbur flinches at the sound of a man screaming in pain somewhere up above, hurrying as he reaches the first crossroads, and he follows the veins of redstone in the wall to the right.

Another right, a left, two more rights...

Wilbur, all the while, is telling himself that his mum is okay. 

She'd catch up with him in Logsteadsheer and they'd find somewhere new to live. He'd miss Emi and Hopp and all the other people of Silverbay but maybe they could come back someday, or at least write to tell them they were okay-

He feels a cold wind and crawls forward hurriedly, seeing faint light ahead. The tunnel opens up into a small cave and he's finally able to stand, taking a moment only to put Milo in his pack and awkwardly shoulder into the other bag with his, being so much smaller, resituated on his chest.

It's long past moonhigh as he leaves the shelter of the cave, silver light falling across the world and using the trees to cast jagged shadows onto the glowing snow. 

"Follow the moon..." He swallows, seeing where it bobbed amongst the clouds like a fishing bauble. "Logsteadsheer..."

He sniffs and with great difficulty, starts walking away from the only home he'd ever known.

He's going up a small incline when he catches the smell of smoke and flickers of orange amongst the trees.

Fear lands in his belly like a lead ball and he fights through the snow to the top of the incline looking over the village, where the naive hope he'd held onto disappeared like mist in the sun.

Silverbay was burning. 

Wilbur can see people, silhouettes wreathed by flames, some running, others on horses. Screaming fills the night air, screams of agony and terror, and he can't take it. 

Hands clamped over his ears, he turns, the tears pouring from his eyes going cold on his cheeks, and starts running, disappearing into the shadows of the woods.  
~X~


	4. An Angel in the Cold

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wilbur struggles to survive in the Wilderness

Wilbur doesn't know how long he runs. Hours. Days?

He sees the sun at least once through the dense foliage above him.

He doesn't stop, even when his body begs him to eat or sleep, even when his head begins to ache and his skin burns hot. 

He runs until he can't run anymore, finally collapsing into snow and lying there, too weak and delirious from fever to move. He shivers while he burns, watching light peeking through the leaves above him, and he wonders if he'll die here...

*I'm sorry, Momma...I'm sorry...*

He twitches from what might have been a doze at the sound of movement nearby. Too quiet to be an animal...a person?

"Hello?" 

A gentle voice breaks the quiet, followed by a figure coming into view above him, the flickers of sunlight shining behind them like a halo. 

_An angel...?_

"Can you hear me?" He flinches when a hand touches his cheek. "Oh dear...You have a terrible fever. Hello? Can you understand me?"

But Wilbur is already fading back into unconsciousness, only faintly aware of being moved and carried by this stranger. 

He remembers very little of the days that follow, awoken from his sleep only to be fed a warm salty broth or strange tasting water, always accompanied by the gentle voice, urging him to eat and drink, murmuring words of encouragement.

His mind is filled with strange dreams of his mother in a blood stained wedding dress, angels with halos of leaves and stars, sweet berry bushes that bleed when he picks the berries.

Then finally, Wilbur wakes up.

Above is a stone ceiling, and he's mostly clear headed for the first time in days, finding himself bundled up in furs and blankets with Milo tucked in beside him, surprisingly warm.

Still fuzzy, he slowly looks around, confused as to why he's in a cave when he realizes...he's not alone.

Beside him, hardly inches away, is another kid, around his age if not a little younger, curled into a ball under the blankets, with soft brown hair and long bangs that covered their face above the nose and mouth. Their breathing is deep and steady, a hand resting on Wilbur's arm.

"Wh...?"

Hearing him, they wake up, though no eyes viewable through the thick dark hair but seeing him awake, looking at them in confusion, they smile.

"Oh...hello there. Welcome back to the world of the living."

~X~


	5. Whatever Lie Ahead

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wilbur makes a new friend

"Here." 

Wilbur jumps as he's handed a bowl of mashed potatoes and chicken, bundled up in in his cloak and blankets.

"Oh...thank you, I..."

"It's not much but it'll help you get your strength back." 

His 'angel' said as they served themselves food from the makeshift fire pit in the center of the little hollow, where a tiny pot sat amongst the flames and small parts of a chicken cooked in the coals. 

Their name was Eretum sewa Dwal; ten years old, same as him.

Wilbur couldn't help but wonder why someone as young as he was was alone in the wilderness, especially just leaving winter behind...

_I mean, I know why I am, but-_

The thought is followed by memories as he's midway into a spoonful of food and the overwhelming realization of loosing everything he'd ever known hits him like a tidal wave, tears immediately welling up and spilling down his face.

"Oh dear. Are you alright?" 

Wilbur wants to apologize for crying, to explain why, to do more then swallow his mouthful of potatoes then let out a strangled sob, heavy with pain.

"Hey..." The bowl is taken from his hands and set aside before he's pulled into a warm, tight embrace, one he returns just tightly. "Shh...It's okay, Wilbur, it'll be alright..."

It takes ages for him to calm back down to a speaking level, to do more then cry and whimper.

"I...I want my Mom..." Are the first things he manages. "Do...Do you think she's okay...?"

It sounds like something he would've said when he was little and going to school, away from his mom for the longest time ever except it was possibly forever now and that scared him more then anything.

Eretum can't muster any false optimism to lie to their new companion, only bringing him closer and petting his messy mass of curls.

Once Wilbur has calmed down and they finish eating, Eretum sits beside him, so they're shoulder to shoulder, and Wilbur finds he appreciates their closeness.

"Where was it you were to go again?"

"L...Logsteadsheer..."

"I'm...not sure where that is... I'm not from the area."

Eretum fiddles with their sleeves and it's then Wilbur notices both of their wrists are heavily bandaged, with a tiny bit of dull red amongst the cloth.

"You're...hurt?"

"Oh, no, it's...my wounds have long since healed." They pull their sleeves down, turning away. "It's to hide what they left behind more then anything..."

"Who hurt you?"

"Bad people who worked for _him_." Wilbur feels a shiver, hearing the same inflection as when his mother spoke of the bad man in Eretum's quiet voice. "They...came and took people from my village. Special people with a special power...I was the only one who managed to get away."

"Power?"

"Yes. When the moon glows, I dream of things that haven't happened yet. The bigger the moon, the stronger the things I dream of." They smile shyly. "It's how I was able to find you."

"You...dreamed of me?"

"I dreamed that you were sick and needed help. That if I didn't find you, you'd die."

Eretum feels themself blush under the wide, wonder filled gaze Wilbur casts on them.

"Wow...That's amazing. And, oh, thank you. For saving me, I mean."

"Of course. I was taught to use my ability to help others around me, whenever possible."

"It's still pretty amazing..."

Wilbur trails off, gaze saddening as he looks out past the cave entrance, which is small and covered by pieces of fabric, stones and wood to keep the lingering cold out.

"...I'm not sure exactly where Logsteadsheer is but...I want to go there...just in case."

"I see..." Eret sits in the quiet for a long few minutes. "Well, I suppose it's warm enough to travel without worrying about being too cold. Thankfully we have enough food for a while, so with luck, we won't have to scavenge along the way."

Wilbur blinks then slowly turns to look at them.

"...We?"

~X~


	6. Logsteadsheer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wilbur and Eret make it to Logsteadsheer

Days pass after they pack up camp and head out on the road, and while an ever present sense of anxiousness was never far from their mind, Eretum finds themself quite taken with their new companion.

Perhaps it was simply Eretum being glad to not be on their own anymore, if however temporarily, but they found they really liked Wilbur.

He was warm, unendingly curious and, when not brought down by his worries and recent trauma, quite funny. 

"Eret!" They perked from their thoughts at the sound of this newly made nickname, as Wilbur called it, turning toward the source.

"Yes?"

"Look!" Wilbur, in one of his better moods, is knelt beside a little pond they'd stopped to refill their water skin and bottles. He beams as he looks up, brown eyes shining with excitement. "There's little baby frogs in here!"

"Frogs?" 

Eret walked from the little stone path they'd been following, hoping it'd lead toward a town where they could at least ask directions, and over to Wilbur, peeking into the water over his shoulder. 

In the green tinged depths, darting amongst the thick green grasses and mossy stones, are little green and brown creatures with still growing bent legs

Eret smiles as they recognize the animal.

"Oh! You mean hop-alongs~ How rare!"

"Rare? They're all over the place once spring hits. Old Granny Gorn taught me how to prepare them to eat." Wilbur looks up curiously. "Do you not have frogs where you came from, Eret?"

"Where I once hailed is very cold much of the year. I've only ever seen these in pictures books the Teachers would share with us." They squat down on the waters edge beside Wilbur, utterly fascinated. "They're so small. How big do they get that they are a fair food supply?"

"Well, Granny Gorn said they were good in a pinch but never to eat too many of them or else you'd end up sick. And usually not super duper big, like apple sized?" Wilbur plucks a little flower that was growing nearby and set in the water, watching it slowly float away, seemingly in thought before he perked up again. "But! Last spring, this older boy named Bol found a giant frog in the stream behind his house! It was HUGE and this cool greeny-grey color, like tree bark."

Eret giggles, poking at the waters surface, seeing the little frogs dart away into the protective shade of the underwater flora.

"What curious little things~"

"Yeah they're pretty cool."

They sit in a wondering, comfortable silence for a little while, watching the life in the water go by before the winds suddenly change and Wilbur pauses, cocking his head to the side.

"Wilbur?"

"...I smell smoke. Like, cooking smoke." He stands and Eret follows a moment later. "It's kinda faint but maybe we're close enough to the source to find it before dark?"

Eret looks at the sun overhead, quietly calculating it's position before nodding.

"As long as it's not more then a two hours walk, we should make it there."

"Brilliant." Determination renewed, he starts back down the path at an energized pace. "Come on, Eret!"

They chuckled, hurrying to catch up with him.

"Coming!" 

Before long, they come to a small hill that overlooks a rather large town just as the sun was beginning to set, and Wilbur felt his heart leap as he realized it was a familiar sight.

"We did it! We actually found Logsteadsheer, Eret!"

"Yes...it would appear we have." 

Eret looked at the glowing lights, all the little figures of people bustling around, distant snatches of music and other noises, and they take a step back, fear growing at the mere idea of going down there. Fear of being seen by people who might work for _him_ and being taken away, never to be seen again-

"Oh this is great! I know where a little Inn is, we can stay there for a night and then go out looking for Mrs. Ambros tomorrow and-" Wilbur's spirited ramblings cut off as he'd turned to Eret, seeing the fear in their posture, mouth pressed into a tight line, anxiously rubbing the old bandages around their wrists. "Eret...? Are you okay?"

They flinch as he reaches for them, before they give a small, apologetic smile. 

"I...I don't think I can go down there, Wilbur... What if someone who works for the King sees me? I don't want to be...taken again." They swallow. "I can wait for you out here...if you'd like."

"Oh, I..." Wilbur looks toward town then back. "Well...we'll find somewhere to camp tonight and I can head down by myself in the morning."

"Are you sure?"

"I'd feel bad if I left you out here all by yourself in the cold while I enjoyed a warm bed." He grinned easily. "Let's go find somewhere dry to sleep~"

Eret's heart squeezes with gratitude as they smile in return.

"Let's. I think I saw a little nook in a old tree on the way here."

~X~


	7. Ambros

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wilbur goes in search of answers in Logsteadsheer

"Do be careful, Wilbur."

"I will."

Wilbur takes a handful of emeralds from his stash and a bottle of water in case he gets thirsty, the day thankfully overcast and cool.

Eret hovers, humming with a quiet anxiousness, sticking close to Wilbur as they walk back to the hill.

"Alright, I'll make sure to come back by tonight." Wilbur takes a few quick breaths. "Do you want anything? I remember there being a clothes shop and a market and of course the candy shop."

Eret feels self-consciously at their clothes, patch worked from scraps and animal fur, pants grown too short to fully cover their long legs anymore. Things had been helped when Wilbur had given them one of his shirts, since the one they'd been wearing was little more then rags, but they didn't think they could make it another six months as they were.

It made them miss the simple dresses and cloaks their people used to wear, but such things weren't any good in the Wilderness.

"...Perhaps some new clothes?"

"Sure, I'll see what I can find."

Wilbur waves before turning and heading into Logsteadsheer, Eret waiting til he was out of sight to head back to their little camp.

The town was in a near quiet state this early in the morning, but there were still plenty of adults about, mostly traders with their carts of things being pulled by horses but a few others that seemed to be going about their days.

He looked between all the strange faces, nervous, before taking a deep breath and approaching a red and gold haired lady with a basket on her back and a baby in a sling across her chest, currently walking past on the street.

"Um...Excuse me, ma'am?"

"Hm?" She stops and looks at him with surprised but friendly grey eyes. "Yes?"

"I'm sorry to bother you, ma'am, but I was wondering if you know a Mrs. Ambros? My mum asked me to find her and give her some news."

"Hmm...Ambros you say? Any first name?" Wilbur shakes his head. "Well, I know there's a Nikova Ambros who has a shop in the market. He sells books and I'll buy them from time to time. Maybe he knows her?"

"Okay..." He nods, looking around and trying to figure out where the marketplace might be. "Thank you."

"I'm heading that way to sell my wares, if you'd like to tag along." 

He perks up.

"Y-Yes, I would. Thank you, ma'am."

"Call me Hannah-" She smiled, then looked down at the little soft sounds the baby made. "And this little lass interrupting me is Maggie."

Wilbur tiptoes and sees a little scrunched up face, with black hair and fluffy Katka ears, peeking from amongst the cloth and blanket she was wrapped in. He smiled and waved despite Maggie's eyes being shut.

"Hi, Miss. Maggie."

More soft grumbling from the baby that made Hannah laugh.

"That's Maggie talk for 'Get going already, Mommy.' Come on, kid, before she gets grumpier~"

"Okay." 

He tails after her until they reach a bustling market place, filled with stalls, people bartering and shouting, the air smelling richly of all kinds of food. It was a little overwhelming, but he was still all the more determined to find the man Mrs. Hannah had mentioned.

"Well, this is my place, kid." She said as they arrived at an empty stall with a blue and white canopy. "Nikova is just at the end of the market way, green shop front with a sign that says _**Ambros Books and Maps**_. Haven't been by that way in a good while, but if he's not there, you can come back here and wait with me a while, okay?"

"Okay. Thank you again, Mrs. Hannah."

"Be careful, kid, it's easier to get lost then you think."

Wilbur nodded then turned back and started off into the crowd, trying to ignore how nervous he felt being alone in a place like this, wishing Eret hadn't been so scared to come along. 

He was tall for his age but that wasn't much help here.

_I hope I get super tall, like Mum said Da was-_

He flinches at the thoughts of his mother, pushing them down as he made his way forward, ignoring the growling in his stomach as he passes a stall making fried dough balls covered in sugar, selling them by the bag full, regretting the fact he'd hardly eaten this morning from nerves. 

_Maybe I'll grab some for me and Eret later...After I buy them some nice clothes._

Mrs. Hannah had been right when she said it was easy to get lost, as Wilbur had to stop and ask for directions two more times, once from a nice old lady who was walking her dog and the 2nd from a much angrier man who smelt like that gross stuff adults drank. 

The man had done little more then point, grunt and mumble something about dumb kids, but there had been a hesitance to the old woman that made him uneasy.

But finally, he finds himself standing in front of a pretty green building with large windows showing a bunch of bookshelves and the amber glow of lanterns.

His heart sinks at the sight of a large **CLOSED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE** sign on the door, but he swallows and goes up the stairs all the same, peeking in through the glass panes, some he now sees are broken, looking around.

"Hello?" He knocks, a little then more, finally pushing his way in.

The store smells wonderfully of books, like the little library he'd visited in Silver Bay's neighboring village, Sky Tree, and his footsteps are muffled as he walks across a faded green carpet.

"Hello? Hello??? Mr. Ambros, are you here?"

There's footsteps from what he assumes is a backroom.

"For the last time, we are closed!" 

A older man with neat salt and pepper hair, fierce green eyes, scars and, to Wilbur's shock, rams horns and ears, comes into view, clearly healing from wounds inflicted not too long ago.

Wilbur had fully expected him to keep shouting angrily, but instead the man freezes at the sight of Wilbur, who shrinks in on himself.

"I-I'm sorry, Mr. Ambros, I know what the sign said but I need to ask you about some really important-"

"You. You're...You're Cecilia's boy."

Wilbur's eyes widen.

"You... know my Mum?"

"...Yeah, you could say that." The man's voice suddenly changed, as if he wanted to cry, before he turned away abruptly. "There's nothing I can do to help you, kid, you should just leave. Go back to your Mom."

Wilbur feels like he's been punched in the stomach, tears and frustration welling up in equal measure.

" _I can't_."

Mr. Ambros stops dead, whipping back around.

"They...They found you?" Wilbur nods and Nikova's expression cracks. "Did...? Is she...?"

"I...I don't know. I don't know if she's okay or not. They burned down my village and I think they took her and I..." He wipes at the tears but they're falling as his voice is breaking. "She told me to run...to come here, look for Mrs. Ambros..."

"...I'm sorry, kid. Honest to the Goddess I am." Mr. Ambros uses his sleeve to dry his aged wrinkled face. "But my Ma ain't here. Not anymore..."

"But...?" Confusion and fear course through Wilbur's body like a stampede. "Then what do I do...?"

"...Keep running." Mr. Ambros sniffled angrily, rounding the counter and roughly pawing through books and papers set atop it. "Run and live your life as best you can. Pray they leave you alone."

"But-"

"GO!" 

He suddenly explodes, throwing a book that misses Wilbur by an inch, then another that barely clears the top of his head. 

"Mr. Ambros, please-!"

"Get out of here! Haven't enough of my family died for you Flel bastards!?"

The little brunette has to dodge the next book, tears blurring his sight as he caved, turning and running out of the shop and back into the crowd, running until he finds himself in a little quiet off road and he collapses into a little stone nook; curling into a ball, covering his head and sobbing into his knees.

He didn't understand. _He didn't understand._

He just wanted to know what the hell was going on. Why did those bad people come for him and Mum? They'd already taken away the kingdom his Mum had told him about, she wasn't a princess anymore, why couldn't they have just left them alone?

He sits there a while, crying and wondering and wanting to go home...but he didn't have one of those anymore, did he?

Silver Bay was gone. His Mum was gone. All he had now was what he'd brought out with him and...Eret.

Sniffling, Wilbur stands and wipes his eyes. He wanders and finally finds his way back to Mrs. Hannah's stall, where he sees she's selling shawls and blankets with pretty patterns.

"Oh, dear." She frowns when she sees him, clearly concerned. "What happened, kiddo?"

"He...He said his Ma was Mrs. Ambros...but she's gone." Wilbur doesn't like how his own voice sounds, weirdly low and empty. "Told me to go away."

"Aw, I'm sorry, kid. Hopefully your Mum will understand."

"...Me too." He swallows down a fresh batch of tears with great difficulty, looking at the shawls and blankets. "...How much for one, Mrs.?"

"Ah, well...The shawls are twenty emeralds and the blankets are forty-five. I harvest and dye the wool then make them myself, so they're a bit pricey..." His eyes fall with a gentle 'oh' and her heart clenches painfully. She picks up one of the older blankets she made nearly two years ago, a maroon one with yellow lines and turquoise spots that no one ever seemed to want. She wraps it up in paper and string then hands it to Wilbur. "But...why don't you take this one and head on home? Free of charge."

"A-Are you sure?"

"Yeah~ Nobody ever seems to want the old thing and you look like you could use it."

"I..." The blanket is incredibly soft, he can feel it even through the thin paper as he hugs it. "...Thank you." 

"Take care, kid."

Wilbur goes to leave, then pauses.

"Mrs. Hannah, do you know where a clothes shop is?"

"Miss. Verian, next street over, is the cheapest. Pretty red front, right next to the candy shop, can't miss it."

"Thank you again...I'll never forget how kind you've been to me."

"My Da always said 'Treat others as you wish to be treated'." She smiles gently, holding Maggie close to her chest. "Plus, my new mom instincts can't help it. Be careful out there, alright?

"I'll try. Goodbye, Mrs. Hannah."

He trots out of sight and part of her wishes she could've helped him more, this sad kid who was so obviously on his own, dirty with bags under his eyes and tear stained cheeks. But she was hardly getting by supporting just her and Maggie, there was no way she could take in another kid...

"May the Goddess watch over you, kiddo..."

~X~


End file.
